Vinous (94)

The 2015 Andremily No. 4 has turned out beautifully. Ample and giving on the palate, with tremendous aromatic intensity, the 2015 has a ton to offer. A year ago, the No. 4 was decidedly exuberant. Today, it has developed into a polished wine that balances intensity and nuance. Lavender, mint, sage, chocolate and black cherry jam give the wine its dark personality, while a touch of whole clusters adds an attractive savory/peppery quality. The new oak is a bit on the lavish side, but that is a relatively small critique for a wine that offers so much pleasure.

Featuring a brilliant profile of sumptuousness, the indulging and refined 'Au Sommet Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013' truly stands at the zenith of red wine. From the renowned winemaking expertise of Heidi Barrett, a luminary in the world of Napa Valley viticulture, this precious liquid art is crafted at the picturesque vineyard located on the paradisiac Atlas Peak Appellation.

The vintage year of 2013 was of particular distinctiveness, basking in an idyllic climate that allowed for perfectly ripe, incredibly concentrated and harmoniously balanced grapes. Evoking an arresting bouquet of blackcurrants, cherries, graphite, and a whisper of spicy oak, the Au Sommet Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is a stunning testament to Barrett's incredible mastery of coaxing power and elegance from this classic varietal.

As a prominent offering from the distinguished vinous portfolio of Au Sommet, this 2013 iteration of its Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon unreservedly represents fine winemaking at its uttermost expression.

The Bernard Magrez Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 embodies the epitome of fine winemaking. Master blender Bernard Magrez, a renowned figure in the wine industry, meticulously crafts this tantalising libation in the world-famous terroir of Napa Valley, California. Renowned for its lush vineyards, the valley provides the optimum conditions for cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

The wine sits in French oak barrels, enhancing the biology and structure of this blend, then it's bottled unfiltered. Deep burgundy in colour, the Bernard Magrez Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 greets the senses with rich scents of cassis, truffle, and spice. It graces the palate with robust flavours of ripe blackberries, dark cherries and a sprinkle of pepper. The finish is long, delivering hints of chocolate and soft tannins.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is an unforgettable expression of the poetic symbiosis between soil, climate, and winemaker's craft.

Vinous (93)

The 2018 Matriarch is plush, sensual and enveloping. Succulent black cherry, plum and spice fill out the layers nicely in this enshrouding Cabernet. The 2018 possesses remarkable depth and exceptional balance. It's an absolute delight to taste today, and also a terrific introduction to the Bond range.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97-100)

The 2018 Melbury is fabulous. Bright, punchy and full of character, the Melbury is so alluring in this tasting. Sweet floral notes, crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice and blood orange explode from the glass. Medium in body, silky and arresting in its beauty, the 2018 is spectacularly beautiful. In 2018, Melbury stands out for its understatement and total class. What a wine!

Vinous (99)

The 2018 Pluribus captures all of the savory, mineral intensity of this site on Spring Mountain. Searing tannins, once such a challenge here, are much more finessed than in the past. Crushed rocks, mint, blood orange, gravel, exotic spice and rose petal lend tremendous complexity as the Pluribus shows off its considerable allure. This taut, mountain Cabernet Sauvignon has so much to offer. Today, it is wonderfully complete and thrilling. Even so, the best is yet to come.

Vinous (94)

The 2017 Quella is a dark powerhouse. Blackberry jam, grilled herbs, sage, menthol, licorice and chocolate infuse the 2017 with tremendous aromatic complexity to play off its natural richness. Savory and brooding, the Quella is a distinctly brooding Cabernet.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Quella is rich, ample and beautifully resonant in the glass. There's terrific depth here and tons of class. Blood orange, game, licorice, tobacco, lavender and dried herbs give the Quella beguiling aromatic presence to play off its muscular, brooding personality. The 2018 needs a few years to soften, but it is already compelling, to say the least.

Wine Advocate (100)

Vecina vineyard is located in the western foothills of Oakville, just to the south-east of the winery (up on Oakville Grade). Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Vecina slips sensuously out of the glass with gorgeous black cherries, kirsch, wild blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles notes plus suggestions of bouquet garni, pencil lead, tilled earth and underbrush. Full-bodied, taut and packed with ripe, expressive, exquisitely accented black and blue fruits, it has loads of earthy sparks and a compelling fine-grained nature to the firm texture, finishing long and layered. This bright, energetic, incredibly nuanced beauty is built like a brick house and, while approachable in youth, is easily a 50-year wine. I therefore urge readers to wait at least 5-7 years before opening to allow for the myriad of subtle nuances to emerge and offer that "WOW" experience that will reward patience.

Vinous (99)

A regal, soaring wine, the 2018 Vecina is immediately captivating. Red fruit, iron, dried rose petal and exotic spice all soar out of the glass. Over the last two months the Vecina has acquired stunning aromatic presence to play off its deep, layered fruit. The 2018 is an absolute gem in the making. As a reminder, Vecina is sourced from Vine Hill Ranch, at the southern end of Oakville, where the Cabernets are distinguished by a beguiling combination of power and savory/earthy intensity.

Vinous (96)

A powerful, unctuous wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Intense, expressive aromatics make a strong first impression. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and leather. Deep, unctuous and beautifully layered throughout, the 2014 Cabernet is a fabulous wine in this vintage. All the elements simply fall into place effortlessly.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Just about as close to perfection as a wine can get, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Chris Carpenter comes mostly from mountain vineyards and is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot. This full-bodied, rounded, thrillingly textured beauty boasts a saturated purple color as well as a huge nose of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, barbecue smoke, and scorched earth. It has perfect integration of its fruit, tannins, acidity, and oak, carries remarkable power and intensity, yet still glides over the palate with no heaviness or sensation of weight. It’s going to be a legendary Napa Valley Cabernet and will have 3 decades or more of longevity.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is based on a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot that spent 22 months in 81% new French oak. It’s a wonderfully complete, borderline perfect wine that shows the class of this estate as well as the vintage, revealing a seamless, full-bodied style that carries lots of blackcurrant, graphite, lead pencil, and tobacco aromatics, a deep, layered mid-palate, ultra-fine tannins, and flawless balance. As with most of Chris’s 2018s, it’s a wine that builds slowly with time in the glass, offering a layered, singular character. It’s a gorgeous 2018 that can be drunk today with ample pleasure, but it will ideally be given 4-6 years of bottle age, at which point it should evolve gracefully for 30-40 years.

James Suckling (97)

Wonderful aromas of blackcurrants, dark plums, mint, sage, and dried wood. Some sandalwood. Full- to medium-bodied with tannins that have the texture of fine velvet and run down the length of the wine. Extremely polished and refined. Sophisticated. Firm at the end. This will age beautifully. Pure cabernet sauvignon. Best after 2026.

Jeb Dunnuck (98+)

A wine that's held back three months in barrel and then held a year in bottle (as is the GOK), the 2016 Syrah Armada Vineyard saw 70-80% stems and 15% new oak (both demi-muids and foudre). Slightly deeper ruby in color, it has a mix of both red and blue fruits, salt, violets, damp earth, and smoked earth. Deep, tight, backward, but just loaded with potential, it needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will be very long lived.

Jeb Dunnuck (97+)

The Armada Vineyard Syrah always reminds me of the Horsepower releases, as it’s a more masculine, earthy style of Syrah. Deep plum/purple-colored with an incredible bouquet of smoked plum, blackcurrants, tobacco, peppered meat, and violets, the 2017 hits the palate with full-bodied richness and depth, building structure and tannins, moderate acidity, and a great finish. It’s another wine from Baron that packs incredible richness and depth yet still just glides across the palate with no sensation of weight or heaviness. It shows the more rounded, approachable style of the vintage and will keep for 20 years or more.

Wine Advocate (100)

Incorporating a touch more Viognier than normal, the 2014 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from the first vineyard planted in the stones region of Walla Walla. Sporting a surprisingly deep, inky color, it offers a heavenly bouquet of black olives, tobacco leaf, smoked meats, pepper, blackcurrant and black cherry notes. Deep, rich and ever changing in the glass, with incredible complexity and layers, this full-bodied masterpiece has building tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great, great finish. It's pure perfection in Syrah, and the finest vintage of this cuvee ever made. As a bonus, it’s also the largest production Syrah they produce. Bravo!

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Leading off the Syrahs and showing gorgeously, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional style in its sweet black raspberry, currant, leafy herb, charcoal, spring flower, and violet-laced aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, a thrilling core of sweet fruit, and one hell of an impressive finish. Rocks Syrah doesn't get much better.

Vinous (95+)

(13.4% alcohol): Explosive aromas and flavors of raspberry, smoked meat, woodsmoke, bacon fat, truffle and black olive, along with notes of minerals and bloody steak. Densely packed but juicy and almost magically light on its feet, with strong smoky minerality contributing to the impression of inner-mouth tension. Like a great Cote-Rotie in its sappiness and spicy lift. Finishes with a whiplash of flavor and subtle building length. Christophe Baron used just 10% new to age this wine as well as the En Cerise and Cailloux, letting his extraordinary sites speak for themselves.

Vinous (97)

The 2018 Tempranillo Impulsivo En Chamberlin Vineyard may be the best Tempranillo botting I have tasted from Cayuse Vineyards. The wine broods in the glass. Aromatically, you’re greeted by a brilliant core of dark fruits with tobacco leaf, black tea and tar tones. The palate is soft and generous with a sensuous mouthfeel. Even with 50% new large-format French oak, this doesn’t get close to being overly oaked. Silky and elegant to savor now, it has a really long life ahead of it. This is in a league all its own for North American Tempranillo.

Vinous (94)

Bright medium red. Knockout nose combines red cherry, pomegranate, mocha, white pepper and a sexy high-toned floral element. At once salty and juicy on the palate, savory but not particularly meaty, with a dominant flavor of crushed red cherry complicated by notes of garrigue and truffle. Finishes very long and subtly palate-staining, with terrific floral complexity. This wine struck me as a little darker in character than the No Girls Grenache made by Elizabeth Bourcier at Cayuse. And it's still tightly wound. (13.6% alcohol; vinified with 75% whole clusters; from a crop level of just 1.5 tons per acre)

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2010 Proprietary Red Cariad reveals great intensity along with abundant notes of unsmoked tobacco leaf interwoven with blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit, charcoal and coffee bean nuances as well as a Pauillac-like lead pencil shaving character. This blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 14% Cabernet Franc is one of the finest wines I tasted over the 12 days I spent tasting in Napa Valley in late August and early September. This remarkable 2010 should drink beautifully for 20 or more years.

Vinous (98)

The 2013 Cariad is fabulous. Pliant, expressive and nuanced in the glass. Here, the tannins are suave and supple, which makes the wine unusually accessible today. There is plenty of delineation in the dark, mineral-laced flavors, but the 2013 impresses for most of its superb textural depth. Cariad is made mostly from fruit sourced from David Abreu's Madrona Ranch vineyard in St. Helena.

Vinous (98+)

The highlight among these 2015s, the Cariad is a total knock-out. Dark, vibrant and powerful in the glass, the 2015 offers notable energy to balance the bold flavors of the year. In this vintage, the Cariad has quite a bit more Franc than is typically the case, a decision that has paid off beautifully. I very much like the sense of energy here.

Vinous (100)

The highlight in this range today, the 2016 Cariad is utterly magnificent. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot give the wine soaring aromatic intensity and striking savoriness to play off the racy, forward fruit. Time in barrel has done wonders to meld all the elements together. Today, the Cariad is dense, explosive and super-expressive. And yet my sense is that the 2016 still has quite a bit of room to grow. Even at this early stage, the 2016 is a total stunner. The symbiosis of David Abreu fruit and Allision Tauziet's winemaking makes for an electric, unforgettable 2016. Don't miss it.

Wine Advocate (96)

The dense purple-hued 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb Vineyard exhibits classic notes of creme de cassis, charcoal/creosote, chocolate, and subtle toasty oak along with beautiful ripeness, sweet tannin, and a full-bodied mouthfeel. It is significantly, as well as atypically, more accessible and fleshy than the 2005, a rarity for these two vintages.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2010 IX Estate is another perfect wine. Its opaque purple color is accompanied by copious aromas of blueberries, cassis, pen ink, asphalt, licorice and subtle oak. Full-bodied and rich but light on its feet, this spectacular effort was created from a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. Enjoy this profound wine over the next 25+ years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

An absolute beast of a wine, the 2013 Ix Estate checks in as a mix of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot that’s all from the estate located at the top of Pritchard Hill. Still a primordial wine that reminds me of a barrel sample, its vivid, saturated purple color is followed by an incredible bouquet of black and blue fruits, graphite, spring flowers, and scorched earth. With a deep, full-bodied, massive mid-palate, background oak, and beautiful purity and freshness, it’s a tour de force and may be the most massive yet perfectly balanced wine I’ve ever tasted. It’s incredible today in an academic sort of way, but it won’t start to hit maturity for at least another decade. Hats off to superstar winemaker Allison Tauziet who, in this critic’s opinion, fashions some of the most profound and captivating wines on the planet!

The Wine Independent (99)

The 2014 IX Estate is deep garnet-black in color. Scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and blackberry pie jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of incense, iron ore, and camphor with a waft of dark chocolate and Morello cherries coming through after a few moments. The medium to full-bodied palate is vibrant and refreshing, thrumming with mineral-sparked energy and supported by firm, grainy tannins, finishing very long and earthy.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another perfect wine from this estate is the 2015 IX Estate which is 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and the rest Petit Verdot. This inky purple-colored beauty has everything: incredible aromatics, huge richness, insane purity, and a singular character that needs to be tasted to be believed. Crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, flowers, and lead pencil shaving-like notes all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a youthful, full-bodied, beautifully concentrated style that builds incrementally, has fine tannin, and integrated acidity. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age but will keep for 3-4 decades.